Automatic parachute release



July 3l, 1951 R. A.. HoEY AUTOMATIC PARACHQTE RELEASE Filed Jan. 14,1949 Patented .uuly 31, 1 951 AUTOMATIC PARACHUTE RELEASE.

Robert Allen Hoey, New York, N. Y., assigner to Richard Keoleian, NewYork, N. Y.

Application January 14, 1949, Serial No. 70,823

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in connectors andhas particular reference to automatically releasable connectors forparachutes.

The main object of the invention is to provide a simple, efficient,durable, strong and quick-acting device which will instantly release theparachute from the load supported thereby when the load hits the ground,thereby avoiding the dragging of the load over the terrain.

In brief and general terms, the invention includes a tube closed at eachend and receiving drag and release bolts at opposite ends and formovement therewithin, the release bolt engaged by a member within thetube is releasable from said member when said member is in one .positionwithin the tube and locked to said member, when said member is in anyother position within the tube, in combination with a spring within thetube and engaging said member and tending to move it to saidpredetermined rst position. Further the invention includes a simplemetal tube dis-posed between the load and the chute.

This is closed at both ends and into the ends ex- -tend hook boltsconnected respectively to the Vchute and the load and nominated as dragand release bolts. A sleeve within the tube is adapted to receive therelease bolt when disposed in a predetermined position in the tube andmeans, associated with the sleeve and the vbolt, lock the bolt to thesleeve when the sleeve is in another position therewithin. A springwithin the tube exerts force on the sleeve and, Awhen the pull of theload is taken oil` the release bolt as the load hits the ground, movesthe sleeve to a .position Where the bolt is automatically released sothat the load is not drawn over the terlvrain by the chute with theinevitable damage to 'the load goods.

y when the balls do not lie in said tube groove.

The present preferred forms which the invenftion may `assume are shownin the drawings, of which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through the device showing the parts ina position assumed when the release pin can be removed;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts in the 2 position when therelease pin is locked but not under load;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the parts in the position when thedevice is under a load;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a partial vertical section taken through a modiiied form ofthe invention showing the parts in a released position; and,

Fig. 6 is a similar view of the same form showing the parts in a lockingposition.

Referring now merely to the specific detailed construction of the formsof the invention illustrated, it can be seen in Figures 1, 2 and 3,which represent the preferred form, that I have provided a steel tubingIll having interior threads at each end to receive threaded bored capsII and I2 through which extend respectively bolts I3 and I4, havingrespective eyes I5 and I6 thereon. These bolts or lpins are slidablewith respect to the caps I I and I2.

Disposed within the tubing I0 is a sleeve Il which surrounds the bolt I4in part and is slidable within the tubing I0. Beneath the sleeve I'I isdisposed a compression spring I 8j This sleeve is provided with aplurality of ball races I9 to receive balls 20. At a Ipredeterminedposition within the tubing Ill, it is provided with an annular groove 2|and when the sleeve I'I is in a predetermined position within the tubingIU under the impulsion of spring I8, the balls 20 will be level withthis groove 2l and may be moved to lie in said groove, as shown finFig. 1. The upper end of bolt I4 is provided with a circumferentialgroove 22 and the diameter of the bolt is such as to permit it to slidewithin the sleeve II. With the Iballs shown in the position illustratedin Figure 1, the bolt I Il may be shoved up through the cap I2 into thesleeve Il. If pushed up far enough, it will force the balls into thegroove 2l and then bring the groove 22 in the bolt in line with theballs.

The lower end of the bolt I3, which is called the drag bolt, is threadedto receive a collar 23 thereon. This collar 23 and the lower end of thebolt I3, are provided with lpassages to receive oppositely disposedballs 24 with a spring 25 lying therebetween, intended to force theballs 24 outwardly against the inner surface of the tubing I0. A locknut 26 is threaded on to the bolt I3 above the collar 23 and takes theimpact against the cap I I when the bolt is pulled up under load.

With the parts as shown in Figure 1, the bolt or pin I=4 can drop out ofthe tubing III, but the operator may hold it in this position with onehand while with the other hand, he may press down on the bolt I3 causingthe bolt I4 and the sleeve I'I to be pushed down by the pressure againstthem of the collar 23 so that the sleeve I1 assumes the position shownin Figure 2, where the balls 22 are at a level below the groove 2 I, thesleeve I1 pushing against the resistance of spring I8 and the balls 24of the collar 23 now lying in the groove 2| and latched therein to holdthe parts in the illustrated position. This is the position where theparts are locked to hold the release bolt I4 in the device before theload is applied. This locking action takes place becauseV the balls 20have now been moved into the groove 22 on the upper end of the bolt I4and are held there by their tight engagement with the inner wall of thetubing ID.

When a chute is connected to the hook I5, and a load to be carried bythe chute is connected to the hook IS, the drag of the load will tend topull the sleeve Il further downwardly as shown in Figure 3, and when thechute opens up it will exert pull on the bolt I3 or drag bolt. It isobvious that with the parts under load and in the position shown inFigure 3, the release bolt .I4 is locked but that as soon as the loadhits the ground, the drag of it on the bolt I4 will be released and thespring i8 will be allowed to push the sleeve Il and the bolt I4 upwardlyagain to the position shown in Figure 1, where the balls 20 can moveinto `the groove 2| in the tubing Iii and the bolt I4 thus will bereleased. This action will of course, take place automatically so thatas soon as the load lands, it is in this manner released frorn theparachute which consequently, will not be abe to drag the load along theground, with the consequent damage to the load.

In Figures and 5, the parts are substantially the same except that thecollar 23 has a peripheral groove in which lies a split spring ring 27and the tubing IS has a similar annular groove 28 on its inner wallabove the groove 2l, and this groove 28 is adapted to receive the splitring 2l when the collar 23 is moved downwardly to the position shown inFigure 6, which corresponds to the position shown in Figure 2.

It is apparent that when the release bolt is inserted to the positionshown in Figure 2 and the drag bolt is shoved down to the position shownin Figure 2, that the parts are already vto be connected to a load andparachute and that while they are in this Figure 2 position, the devicecan be moved or thrown around without dislodgement of the parts fromthis relation. However,

'the instant that a load is applied and a chute attached, the parts moveinstantly to their load positions and can not be released until the loadhits the ground, whereupon the release of the bolt takes placeautomatically.

While the invention has been described in detail and with respect to thepreferred form shown in the drawings, it is not to be limited to suchdetails and forms since many changes and modiiications may be made inthe invention without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention in its broadest aspects. Hence, it is intended to cover anyand all forms and modications of the invention which may come within thelanguage or scope of any one or more of the appended claims. Y

What I claim as my invention, is:

1. In a device of the class described, a tube closed at each end, a dragbolt extending into the tube at one end and a release bolt extendinginto the tube at the other end, a collar on the drag base slidablewithin the tube, a sleeve slidable within the tube and adapted toreceive the release bolt, means associated with the tube and the sleeveto lock the release bolt to the sleeve in certain positions of thesleeve and to permit the release of the release bolt from the sleevewhen the sleeve is moved to a predetermined position and means withinthe tube engaging said sleeve and tending to move it to saidpredetermined position.

2. Ina device of the class described, a tube closed at both ends, a dragbolt extending thereinto at one end and a release bolt extending intothe tube on the other end, a sleeve slidable within the tube and havingball races with balls therein, a spring beneath the sleeve tending tomove it in a given direction, said tube having an annular groove toreceive the balls on the sleeve when the sleeve is moved by the springto aline the balls with the groove, said release bolt insertable intoand removable from said sleeve when the sleeve is in this position, saidrelease bolt having an annular groove adapted to receive said balls inthe sleeve when the balls are moved thereinto as the sleeve is moved todisalign the balls from the groove in the tube, a collar on the innerend of the drag bolt, springpressed means on the collar adapted to pressagainst the walls of the tube and engageable with the groove in the tubeas the dragbolt is pressed down to move the sleeve and its associatedballs from a normal position to a position in which the balls on thesleeve are locked to the release bolt.

3. In a device of the class described, a tube having removable caps ateach end, a drag bolt slidably extending into the tube through one cap,a release bolt slidably extending into the tube through the other cap, acollar on the inner end of the 4drag bolt, spring pressed means on saidcollar adapted to press against the inner walls of the tube, a sleeveslidable within the tube, a'spring between the sleeve and one of saidcaps, said sleeve adapted to receive the release bolt, ball means on thesleeve, said tube and said release bolt having annular grooves therein,said balls on the sleeve adapted to lie in the groove on the sleeve whenthe sleeve is in one position and permit the withdrawal of the yreleasebolt from the sleeve and to lie in the groove on the release bolt whenthe sleeve is moved to another position, whereby the release bolt islocked to the sleeve, said drag bolt and collar adapted to be moved tomove the sleeve to a position in which Ythe sleeve is locked to thelrelease bolt.

ROBERT ALLEN HOEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following vreferences are of record in the file ofthis patent:

. UNITED STATES PATENTS Bull Sept. 9, 1941

